✔︎𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 || 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧

4. Dried Paint

I quickly moved the brush across the canvas, carefully filling in every white spot with the dark green paint on my palette. My movements were swift but precise as I painted each blade of grass, using every shade of green—from a bright lime for the lighter areas to a deep clover for the shadows.

It was a warm Saturday afternoon, and I was painting a landscape. Not just any landscape, actually—it was a place I had been close to back in Busan. A playground, really simple if I'm being honest, but it meant more to me than I cared to admit. Jeongin and I used to spend our afternoons there, even though we were all grown up. It was a quiet place, rarely visited except by the occasional kids.

I lifted the brush off the canvas and stared at the still unfinished painting; it looked pretty similar to the real thing. I smiled as old memories flooded my mind, and a warm feeling of nostalgia surrounded me.

I remembered sitting alone on the old swing, staring at my feet while listening to some cheesy love song. I was waiting for someone—someone who was, as usual, late. I sighed, checking the time again and seeing that my friend was already twenty minutes late.

Yang Jeongin had always liked to make me wait for him.

Eventually, I heard fast footsteps coming towards me, along with a loud and familiar voice calling my name.

I looked up to see the tall, brown-haired boy I had been waiting for, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath after what seemed like a long run. He was breathing heavily—maybe a little too heavily for a normal person.

"You're late," I said with mild annoyance.

"I'm sorry... really... I tried to... get here as soon... as I could," he said between gasps for air.

My heart softened as I looked at the poor boy, still struggling to recover. I didn't want to scold him. I knew he didn't like making me wait, and he must have had a reason for being late.

"It's okay, sit down before you pass out."

He sluggishly made his way to the empty swing next to me and sat down, still trying to catch his breath. I studied his face as thick beads of sweat rolled down his skin, watching his lips move in time with his heavy breathing. Despite how exhausted he looked, I couldn't help but find him attractive. But I also felt worried seeing him so worn out after a short run.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, I saw him turn to me, a smirk on his lips.

"So, did you miss me?"

I chuckled and looked away. "Not at all."

In truth, I missed him every second he wasn't with me, but I couldn't tell him that. His ego was already big enough.

Jeongin chuckled too, and I felt his face get closer.

"Come on, you can admit it. I know being away from me for a whole week isn't easy."

I turned back around, now just a few centimeters from his face. He looked at me with that cocky smile, full of confidence. I glanced at his perfect lips curved into that teasing smirk and couldn't help but wonder how good it would feel to kiss him. My cheeks grew redder with each passing second.

Damn it, Yang Jeongin.

I quickly turned away, avoiding his gaze, and stared at the ground. I could hear Jeongin's chuckles, but I wasn't as cheerful as he was. I had always admired how he could be so happy, so full of life, finding the good in every situation.

I could never be like that.

"Just... just don't leave me like that again," I whispered, earning his attention.